


send in the army (good times gonna come)

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-11-22 12:58:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/610077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which One Direction cracks and almost breaks, except then everything turns out fine after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	send in the army (good times gonna come)

**Author's Note:**

> The win  
> was what mattered, speed and style.  
> The boat had no hull, just a wing  
> \- Rebecca Foust

\- - - - -  
  
  
  
 _Niall_   
~~  
  
  
Niall never thought he'd end up in a boyband. In truth, before all this, whenever he imagined himself as a famous singer, it was always as a Justin Bieber look-alike, rapping the occasional shout-out with Jay-Z, supported by thousands of screaming (and possibly prepubescent) fangirls, their moms, and their gay brothers.   
  
It's still a nice fantasy of his, even though in reality, he's much easier to please. Give him his own flat, the chance to sing, and a nice girl to watch Doctor Who with on the weekends (or to kiss when they go ice-skating in the winter) and he's happy.   
But that's not how life worked out.  
  
He's one of five now, and as Simon once told him at the beginning, not that long after bootcamp, he'll always be the one stuck in the middle, because he's _genuinely nice_ , and that means he'll always duck his head and avoid the conflict.  
  
It's been ten months in the throes of the success of being One Direction, and Niall finds himself not quite surprised, but still disappointed, that Simon was right about this, too. He hadn't wanted to believe it. Now he's exactly where he's never wanted to be: in the center, equal distance from four cornerstones cruelly sniping at each other as they battle to win his alliance, and thus the majority vote.  
  
The first record was a breeze compared to this; it came right off the high of the show, when they were all happiness and glow and enthusiasm. They all spent fourteen-hour days at the studio working their butts off to achieve something together that would propel them away from the image of being no more than a teen girl's jerk-off fantasy. Simon spoke of the Beatles, sacrilege really, except they all so intensely wanted that (and didn't every boy-group, let's be honest?), wanted that sort of recognition, to be labelled as that sort of musical genius.   
  
Liam maybe most of all; half the time, he didn't make it back to the three bedroom flat they shared. Niall can't remember how often he went to sleep without Liam's even breathing on the other side of the room, knowing Liam was still huddled in the studio, writing lyrics, trying out arrangements, thinking, thinking, thinking, until his lower lip bled.   
  
Liam's still the favorite - Simon's, the producers', studio management's favorite -, still the band leader where it matters (which is the solos). He's still getting better with each recorded single, each concert, each gig.   
  
Louis always went to get him, at the beginning, or at least went to make him sleep on one of the studio couches, always taking a can of hot soup to soothe Liam's tortured vocal cords. Louis, who still felt older then, more world-experienced and self-confident. Taking care of all of them, but especially Liam, most gently and lovingly.   
  
Niall's a lot of things, but blind is not one of them. He'd seen it coming then already, and thought, _I should do something, I really should_ , because it was a train heading high speed right into a brick wall that would be coming down the moment Liam realized. Wreckage.   
  
But Niall did then what Niall always does - he lets things be what they are. None of his business. Life goes on. He has the dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach these days that a lot of what has happened might be his fault. This, waiting in front of Simon's office for their next official meeting, planning their second record, while the cold distance in the room lingers, no longer a hint of the old goofy roughhousing between them. Louis has his hand under Harry's shirt on his stomach, a mockery of earlier closeness, and Zayn and Liam exchange frosty looks of competitiveness.  
  
Niall stands between them like the last toy soldier at the Christmas store, awkward and lonely, and wonders how horrible this meeting is going to be. Over half a year later, they look the same on the outside, but everything has changed. He wants to pick up the pieces and make this his business now, too late, too late, but at least he _wants_ , right? It feels like he might be the only one.  
  
Maybe, after this meeting, he'll get his dream after all: maybe after all of this, a solo career will be all that's left for him.   
  
When they're called inside, none of the others look him in the eye, but all of them, singularily, are hoping he'll side with them.  
  
That's how it always is, after all.  
  
  
 **\- - - - -**  
  
  
  
 _Harry_   
~~  
  
  
 _Oh God_ , Harry thinks, _not again_ , and squeezes Louis' wrist so hard it _has_ to hurt, but of course, Louis never listens to anyone but himself. He's the oldest, isn't he, because a year or so (all right, two) make such a huge difference, go fuck yourself.   
  
It was all very cute in the beginning, the specialness of Louis, the crazy, unabashed confidence. Harry loves Louis, he does, but this shit stopped being funny when Liam shut it all down with a horrible, sickening 'No'.   
  
"So I wrote this song," Louis offers, and clears his throat, and Simon looks about as stunned as the rest of them, which is not at all. Annoyed is the better word for it. Louis has been doing this in every single meeting that they've had since the Liam fiasco. It's his idea of a punishment, taunting Liam's ambition; everyone knows this, Liam most of all, and the dick still never lowers his eyes to admit defeat, just stares Louis down in challenge, because that's the way Liam stings, like a scrapnel wound.   
  
Harry hates their drama. He just wanted to sing and get hugs and have boys by his side who would tease him about his girly curls for the rest of his life.   
  
Then Louis hands Simon a paper with scribbles on them, words and notes. He says, "Read it. Please," not looking at Liam at all. Simon reads, and his eyebrows climb to his hairline. He hums a melody, soft and ballad-y and _catchy_. Harry knows the moment it hits his ear drums that he'll have it in his brain for weeks before he will be rid of it.  
  
Simon says, "Is this a joke? Did you steal - who wrote this? This is good."  
  
"Thanks," Louis says. "No need to look so surprised. I have my moments of genius."  
  
"That is true," Simon observes coolly, surprise gone. "Obviously, we'll have to change the gender."  
  
"No."  
  
And that's it. No one needs a second look at Louis to realize he's dead serious about this (and still not looking even remotely at Liam, gaze trained on Simon).  
  
Simon puts the paper down and breathes. "We'll see. I'm not promising anything, but we'll see. Can we move on to the scheduled part of the meeting now, boys?"  
  
"We haven't even seen the song," Zayn protests idly, and Harry agrees. Louis looks - triumphant. Like he's won something.   
  
Simon hands Harry the paper first, because he's closest. Harry reads, 'his hand lay warm above my heart, and one time, I was happy' and he thinks, _Fuck_.   
  
  
Their first record was an amalgam of remake band hits and hits sent through the grinder and reassembled to sound like new songs. It was all right. They had their fun. Liam got to sing on all of them; Harry did on many, even if it was just a verse here and there. The point was, they were doing what they loved, even Louis who never once complained, who was always happy to take a step back and let everyone else have their moment in the spotlight.   
  
They got put up in a spacious flat in London to be closer to the studios and Zayn claimed the single bedroom immediately which left Harry and Louis storming one double, Niall and Liam taking the other. It was nice because it meant Liam never complained about messiness and Harry and Louis could mix up their underwear without Zayn making disgusted faces at them.  
  
With the amount of work and dedication and partying and the invites to premieres and football games and special little VIP gigs, it wasn't hard to overlook that Zayn took more vocal coaching than any of them, that Liam started not coming back to the flat after a hard day at work, and then Louis started staying out with him, and that Niall pulled away from all of them, looking out of place and distinctly like he didn't want to be with them anymore. Harry doesn't blame himself (much) for not noticing things.   
  
But then something cracked and Louis spent a day in his room crying before he moved back to his parents (for two weeks, before Simon personally hauled him back to London) and Zayn chose that time to demand more solos and faced off against Liam in a one-on-one singing competition (a disastrously stupid idea, who'd even allowed that, god, they'd been so fucking stupid) and of course, he _won_ because Liam sounded wrecked and tired and like someone had dumped ice down his throat and frozen all his emotions. And so Zayn got more solos, and Liam didn't talk to him for weeks, and Louis started writing cruel, terrible songs he posted online under a fake name, and really, Harry has no idea at which point he should have all just shot them in the head, but he knows he missed a crucial instance where he should have.  
  
The problem is, it has all calmed down now, at least on the outside, and even though everything's sharp, jagged glass underneath, he couldn't get away with shooting anyone now, which is tragic.   
  
  
Their new record is a concept album about games, playing games, fun games, friendship and love games. And the funny thing is, Old hell carousell and his roulette kisses, and one time, I was happy - it fits right in between the other songs that have been written for them. Louis will get to sing it, Harry's pretty sure. He has no idea how Simon will deal with the pronoun issue.   
  
Louis also gets to do all the voice-overs in between tracks, which he's brilliant at, and has so much fun doing, just look at the game-show videos he moderated, he's a born talker. He barely needs more than two or three takes on each voice-over. Everyone's impressed and happy when he cuts it all in a day.   
  
When they get back to the flat, Liam flees to his room and slams the door close with the loudest bang yet, seething, effectively locking Niall out in the process and Zayn says delicately, "Hey Niall -"  
  
And then Niall throws down his backpack - it's like he's ready to take flight every second of the day, he never leaves without his backpack anymore - he throws it to the ground with more force than necessary and says (almost shouts, except Niall doesn't shout), "No. No, I am not a bargaining chip. I am a person. I will not pick any sides." Zayn opens his mouth, offended, but Niall just charges on, "I'm on one side, and that is the side of this band _making it_ , because I am not Justin Bieber and I'm pretty sure I can't make it alone in this business, so you know what, fuck you for destroying my career. You think I don't want solos, Zayn? Of course I do. But this, this is not the way to deal with shit. And Louis, what the fuck was that, in Simon's office? You are supposed to be an adult, stop taking your broken heart out on all of us, and stop punishing Liam for something that happened months ago. Get. Over It." Then his glare softens, he mumbles, "Sorry for swearing so much," and runs out the door.  
  
Harry prays he'll be back in the evening. Fucking Niall. Louis looks like someone slapped him across the face and Zayn's mouth is twisted, unhappy.   
  
"Drinks," Harry announces. "Kitchen. And drinks. Drinks will fix shit."  
  
"I knew there was a reason I fucking loved you, Styles," Louis announces, and drapes himself over Harry's back. Harry doesn't have the heart to push him off, especially when later, once they're tipsy off the tequila, Zayn joins them on the couch and puts his head on Louis' lap. It's not an apology, but it's something. It's a start. Louis kisses Harry's cheek and breathes, and Harry closes his eyes and wishes Liam could feel this, could feel anything really, wishes for something to melt his ice queen heart.  
  
  
\- - - - -   
  
  
  
_Liam_   
~~  
  
  
Liam saw Louis coming down the steps after his first audition, dizzy with happiness, cheeks flushed and bobbing his head and he thought, _No, please, please, not now_. He thought, _I am not Gay_ , and that was it. It was that easy, just choose one and stick with it, how hard could it be. One couldn't be gay if one was never attracted to anyone, after all, and Liam certainly wasn't attracted to Louis who was loud and annoying and handsy with everyone.   
  
Liam would like to say fuck his life very much, but that is ridiculous because he's living the dream. He's popular and famous and almost rich, and he is one fifth of a boy band that is going to sell another gold record soon, and he has nothing, absolutely nothing to complain about, except the fact that one fifth of the band is trying to steal his solos, one fifth of the band has been stretched to unimaginable length and is going to crumble soon, and one fifth is resenting him very hard. Oh, and another fifth is Louis. And Louis.   
  
Liam is so in love with Louis he wants to crawl into the space between Louis' chin and his shoulder and never detach from there. It hurts so bad he has to keep his face completely blank or he's going to tear up any minute of the day. He wants to kiss Louis all the time, everywhere, and take his hand to twine their fingers and grin at him with silly hearts in his eyes, and Liam would write that story, he would, but hearts in his eyes are not a good way to start off, even he knows that.  
  
Also Liam's not gay, and that is that, game over.   
  
He spends the night buried underneath his blankets, and the door never opens, which means Niall has found somewhere else to sleep.   
  
Liam doesn't sleep. In the morning, he feels like crap. He hasn't slept properly in months, and he always feels like crap. He knows there are meetings - his phone has been beeping with messages and calendar notifications and assignments for today since six am, and he has that interview at ten, lawyer talk past eleven, minimal recording after lunch, photoshoot to get the ball rolling on their new record promotion at four. The day will never end.   
  
When he slinks out of his room, there are no sounds. It's barely seven, the other boys will be sleeping till the last minute, they always do. Liam needs coffee and then he'll sit down and write, and write, he will write until his fingers bleed, because there is no way, no way in hell Louis is getting a song on this record and Liam still hasn't managed to get Simon any lyrics that Simon even remotely approved of.   
  
When he passes the living room, he realizes the boys aren't in bed. They're there, on the couch, piled on top of each other like a litter of kittens. Niall squished in between Zayn and Louis who've clearly made the space for him, with Harry plastered to Louis' back and Zayn lying between Niall's legs, Niall's face in Louis' crotch. It used to be like this all the time, Liam remembers, back during competition, when they all got along. It used to be boypiles and wrestling on the carpeted floor and cuddling in front of the TV during horror movies. Liam stands at the end of the couch and stares down at them and realizes with a horrible burn in his chest that they're going back to that now, healing the cracks, and he's _not a part of it_ , and he has to blink away the tears that blur his eyesight.  
  
"Hey," someone says roughly, and he realizes Zayn is awake, looking up at him.  
  
Liam lifts his hand to wipe at his tears quickly. "Hey," he says. He sounds wretched.  
  
Zayn doesn't disturb the others when he climbs off of them, re-arranges Niall so he won't be too embarrassed by Louis' wood when he wakes up. It's sort of funny, and Liam lets out a tiny hiccup. He turns around and heads for the kitchen, blind. There he finds a towel and scrubs his face, and then turns to the water kettle and puts it on. His back is purposely turned to the door.  
  
"Liam," Zayn says. There's a note of pity in his voice.  
  
"Not a word," Liam warns him. His tongue feels like he licked an icicle and got stuck.   
  
"Niall shouted at all of us yesterday."  
  
Zayn always ignores Liam's orders. Liam's supposed to be the band leader or something, responsible and smart and taking care of everyone. He used to think he was the perfect man for the job, but now he's not so sure. He should have seen all of this coming.  
  
"He's been moody," Liam hears himself say and winces because that wasn't how he meant it. He turns, flushing, apology ready on the tip of his tongue. "I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I meant. He has every right to be unbalanced. With how things are going. Disappointed, too." Liam rubs his forehead. He has no idea how to fix things. He used to think he was good at fixing things, until he wasn't.   
  
"Look." Zayn steps closer, waiting, with every step, for Liam's signal to keep away. Liam holds himself still, waits. Zayn only stops when they're barely two inches apart, their eyes on level. He reaches out and touches Liam's neck, his hand warm. "You need to relax. You're holding on so tight, and it's killing us."  
  
"I'm not -"  
  
"You need to let it go. You weren't good enough to make it on your own." Liam pulls away, but Zayn locks him with his back to the sink, holds on to his neck. "But you have us now. And you're the best in the world with us. You just have to let us be a part of this, too." Otherwise, he doesn't say, they'll always just be Liam and four boys who make good second fiddle. Maybe not for anyone else, but for themselves. It's been all too true too often.   
  
"You were better than me," Liam says, looking at the floor.   
  
Zayn hugs him then, rolling his eyes so hard and says, "You're the worst when it comes to losing. You're unbearable. Were you always like this? Did you throw tantrums as a little kid when your parents didn't let you win? Did you become the Godfather of your own Mafia in kindergarden to scare all the other kids into losing all the games?"  
  
Liam hits his shoulder. "Shut up. I can lose."  
  
"I cannot wait for the day Louis fucks that stick out of your ass, man," Zayn says, and Liam stiffens, pushing him away. The hug is over. Zayn takes one look at Liam's stricken face and says, "You're a shit sometimes, you know."  
  
"Fuck off."  
  
"We still love you, though. We're not shutting you out. That's all your own doing."  
  
Liam feels embarrassed, and then defensive. "Even if I don't get with Louis?"  
  
Zayn looks at him for a long minute, exasperated. "Yeah. Even if you don't get with Louis," he says. "If that's what you want. We'll stage an intervention with him, too, then. He'll stop. I promise."  
  
Liam ignores the hurt in his chest at the thought that Louis will stop - even the painful torture was still _attention_ , after all - and instead shows the relief he feels at the thought that maybe, finally, he will be allowed to get over this now. It's only been a year. He should be getting over it any time now.  
  
"So this is an intervention, then?" he half-jokes, because what else can he say. Everything else is still too raw, like prodding a sore tooth with his finger.   
  
Zayn smiles and goes in for another hug, says, "Live a little, Liam. It'll be okay. No matter what you choose to do, man, we've got your back."   
  
This time, Liam hugs back.  
  
  
\- - - - -   
  
  
  
_Zayn_  
~~  
  
  
Zayn is good at reading people, so he noticed early on that Louis is a robot whose fuel is human touch, and Harry (only mildly hesitant about getting his cuddles everywhere, even before they became a band) immediately jumped on the bandwagon with Louis, and it's no surprise those two are still all over each other, even when they're fighting (especially when they're fighting), and all over the rest of the band, too.  
  
It only occurs to Zayn how much he missed getting pounced on by his boys when it starts happening again after Niall's blow-up and subsequent return to the fold.   
  
So things go back to ... not normal quite yet, not the normal from X-Factor, back before things went down. But there are boypiles again, which is a vast improvement.   
  
The thing is, Liam has taken Zayn's advice to heart. Zayn has no idea why, or which part of what he said got through, but slowly, as days pass, the dark circles under Liam's eyes clear, and he even finds Liam and Niall squeezed together on the couch more than once, Niall writing down dates and appointments and making calls and contacting their managers and Pas and agents and Simon, and that - that's not such a bad idea, because Niall's good at this kind of stuff, and Zayn didn't even think about how Niall might have been feeling useless to the band even though he _knows_ how much Niall likes being useful.   
  
Niall is also very good at delegating tasks to all of them, something at which Liam miserably failed. (Now Niall, Niall has never been one to initiate much touchy-feely stuff, but Zayn knows exactly how much he enjoys hugs, because Niall _purrs_. And whirrs and arches his back when someone strokes at the base of his neck, and all the boys abuse this power terribly. Once, Louis downloaded porn and put a recorded track of Niall's moans over it. Zayn still gets a kick thinking about that.)  
  
  
When the band meets with the production team for the new album a week later, Zayn is surprised to see that they've shuffled the solos around. Liam's still singing solo on most of the songs, but he's cut down on verses, and Zayn finds himself pleased to see that not only have his own increased, but that Louis is also getting a few verses here and there, aside from his own song.  
  
"I get to do it?" Louis asks, completely shocked, and the music producer gives him a look and smiles, sharp like a shark. She says, "Oh yes, you get to do it. You will also do _a fuckton_ of press about it, so you can still back out at any point until we wrap. Think about that for a while. Let us know when you fold."  
  
She's great, Zayn can tell she'll bring the best out in all of them, but there's one thing she doesn't know. She's never played poker with them, so she cannot know that Louis _never_ folds.  
  
When they scatter later, Zayn makes a detour for a piss, and when he comes back, he finds Louis standing by the exit doors, tucked away to one side, with his back to Zayn. He's not alone. Liam's pressed against him, hugging him close, pressing into him like it could be his last chance. Zayn can see Liam's face, scrunched up, mouthing Louis' neck. They're not kissing, they're not - it's not romantic, he can feel that, but it's still intimate, still not something he should interrupt, so he slips back into the hallway and just watches them cling to one another, relief flooding his chest.   
  
They slowly step apart after what seems like an eternity, and Liam looks into Louis' face, none of his usual bland masks. He mouths something, and Zayns sees Louis nod, and then they part completely and it's safe to come out. Zayn wanders over, trying to look inconspicuous, which works on Louis, but not on Liam who rolls his eyes and says, "So who's up for McDonalds?"  
  
Liam, that's the thing, when Liam touches, he touches like someone who is pants-scared that the other person will think he fancies them. It's damn weird after a day of having Louis' hand down your pants in a purely platonic way and Harry's tongue licking your neck because he's trying to figure out what it would feel like to be a vampire. (Appropriate is not in their dictionary.)   
  
The day Zayn realized that Liam didn't indulge in the overenthusiastic boypiles that are One Direction, and figured out why, was the day Zayn made it his personal mission to make sure Liam knew that even if he _did_ fancy Zayn, Zayn still wouldn't mind hugging him so hard their hips were snug and their faces mashed together.  
  
So what he's witnessed here wasn't a typical Liam-hug, this was Liam trying his hardest to make Louis happy, and Zayn thinks, grateful, that even if he maybe can't give more than that, it's enough for now. The look in Louis' eyes says so, clear and bright and happy.   
  
"Burger King," Zayn counters, just to be contrary.  
  
Louis smirks, puts his arm around Zayn's hip and pulls him close with strong fingers. "None of that greasy cheap shit, love, you know I'll treat you right."  
  
Zayn laughs and sees Liam's mouth curl up from the corner of his eye, as Liam smiles longingly at the closeness between them that he doesn't (let himself) have.   
  
"Treat me right, Tomlinson," Zayn teases, bats his eyelashes, "and I might just put out before the night's over."  
  
Louis whoops, and Liam's smile turns more genuine. Zayn catches his hand and holds it, never mind people staring at them on the streets, never mind Liam's stiff shoulders, because Louis breathes out easily and Liam doesn't stop smiling, grateful and embarrassed all at once.   
  
  
\- - - - -   
  
  
  
_Louis_  
~~  
  
  
Louis takes a few extra days to get the song he wrote exactly right. Recording studio compliments his dedication, and on his last day, Simon even drops in for an hour, watching him in the booth, consulting with the technicians and arrangers and meeting up with production. Liam's there, too. Louis has no idea why - he got the day off and Harry said something about going to the movies. But Louis won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Liam's presence makes something in him tingle, a low buzz that makes singing easier.  
  
When Louis is finally released, he bounds out of there with a spring to his step despite his utter exhaustion. He still got to prank Melanie from mixing today, and Houston from arrangement has been threatening to file sexual assault charges against him, so all in all, he's got all his missions accomplished.   
  
Liam's talking to Simon when Louis approaches them in the hallway on the way to the exit and manages to extract a hug from his boss. He still doesn't know how to approach those with Liam. Half the time, Liam looks apprehensive, the other half like he wants, but can't ask for it.   
  
It still hurts as hell thinking that they could be together. Louis is in love with Liam, and he _knows_ Liam fancies him back, but for some reason they can't _do this_ , for whatever reason unknown that Liam has made up. It still makes him want to punch Liam in his pretty, pretty face for being so fucking stupid and throwing this away. But he also knows that he's been cruel enough now. Harry and Zayn are right. It's time to let it go.  
  
"What's going on?" he asks them, beaming, because heartache or not, he got his first solo song recorded today. He's even got a copy on CD.  
  
"Just talking over a few details," Simon waves him away. "I hear your single is done. Congratulations. I've heard parts of it, it sounds very good."  
  
Louis sways on the balls of his feet, nodding. "I thought Niall was manning the comms these days," he says to Liam, who shakes his head.  
  
"Not really band-related. I'll tell you later, okay?"  
  
"Okay." Louis holds out the copy to Simon. "You want the CD?"  
  
"Have it already, I'll write Niall an email about it," Simon says and adds, "Off to my next appointment now. Be good, boys. Don't make me any trouble." And then he wanders off towards the entrance hall to leave the building. It leaves Louis with Liam in the hallway, feeling a strange sense of anticipation. Liam's fidgeting with his shirt, pulling at a loose thread.  
  
"I wondered what you were doing here," Louis says, not unkindly. He's given up the hope Liam might be doing any of the things he does for _him_. It's less depressing whenever he finds that it was all in his head.  
  
Liam meets his gaze. "I did come to hear your song," he says. "I mean. Yes, I knew Simon'd be here, but that's not the only." He sighs. "Never mind. I just wanted to get some leave. Wouldn't do to just vanish without talking to him, and I wanted to clear this up personally."  
  
"Clear what up? Leave where?"  
  
"I wanted to go back home for a few days," Liam says. "I know we're in the middle of recording, but this sort of can't wait. And we do have more recording time and a longer window for release this time around, so I figured it would be okay."  
  
Louis frowns. "Did something happen? Can I - can we do something?"  
  
"No, no. Just. Some space, I guess."  
  
They look at each other, awkward and discomforting, until Louis steps forward and he feels Liam stiffen, so he just touches his shoulder and moves past, skipping the hug he'd have usually given, biting his lip so he won't make any comments that would only serve to make them both feel like shit the rest of the night.  
  
"Let's go get some food, I'm starving," he says instead, and feels more than he sees Liam breathe out and follow.  
  
  
In the days that follow, Louis catches Liam staring at him on more than a handful separate occasions.  
  
While they're watching TV, all five of them, one of those strange indie flicks that Liam loves but none of them understand. And Liam's supposed to watch the film, right, he shouldn't be able to take his eyes off the screen, but instead, whenever Louis looks over, hoping for a few minutes in which he'll be able to stare at Liam uninterrupted, Liam quickly jerks his head to the side and flushes, staring at his shoes.  
  
While they're doing laundry together. (They always know it's high time when Harry starts planning stealth missions to Zayn's room to steal his underwear.) Niall's there, helping out, and Liam, of course, and Louis more than once catches Niall elbowing Liam when he glances over. "I'll bring the stuff down," Louis offers when they've sorted the colors and the whites out and heaves the basket, and Liam says, "I'll help," and then, "Or not," when Niall glares. Niall says, "Liam'll make food. I'll start the vacuum. I'm fairly certain Louis can carry a laundry basket by himself, Liam." Louis leaves the room and stops just out the door and hears Niall say, "What you're doing is really unfair. Stop it," and Liam mumbles something Louis doesn't catch.  
  
While they're out on town, shopping. They have a camera with them for the weekly fanvid, and Louis is filming Zayn and Niall bringing bazillions of crazy outfits to the changing room for Harry to dress up in, coming out, doing a turn, going back in. When Louis turns his head to check where Liam is, Liam's standing right behind him, and they both almost stumble from surprise (even though Liam should have realized how close he was, it makes no sense).   
Harry comes out of the changing room again, and Liam nods at him, says, "That looks lovely," in a small voice, and Louis has to agree, it really does. He grins and says, "Everyone'd look great in that outfit," because it's leather pants and a XXS-tank top, and then, because he's stupid, he says, "Liam, you should have a go at it, too."   
Surprising them all, Liam does. Louis cannot stop staring, and Liam isn't looking away from him, that tiny, knowing smile his lips curl into whenever Louis has done something stupid and they both know it. Louis can see Harry frowning at the two of them, but he can't make himself care.  
  
  
After that, that same evening, Louis hears Zayn shouting in the kitchen, which is the only reason he doesn't head right in, even though he should. But Louis has a MA in Espionage, and he knows what this is about, he's not stupid, so he stays out of sight.   
  
"This is not funny," Zayn shouts, and Liam answers, almost too quietly, "I'm not joking," and Zayn, lowering his voice, says, "I know I said we had your back, but not for this shit. Not if you fuck up this way, you'll be out." And that's when Louis realizes Zayn's not alone in the kitchen, Niall's there too, because he murmurs something, and Louis wonders, _Am I the only one not invited_?, which is when someone touches his back.  
  
He jumps, and slaps a hand in front of his mouth to stop himself from squeaking.   
  
"Smooth, Louis," Harry laughs behind him. "Hear anything interesting?"  
  
"Zayn shouting at Liam? Always worth my while," Louis says, acting like he isn't mortified at being caught.   
  
"Are you okay?" Harry looks concerned suddenly, holding out his arms for a hug.   
  
Louis doesn't say no to hugs, ever, and so goes for it. Even though he as no idea what's going on. "Why shouldn't I be?" he asks.  
  
"Liam's being a jerk," Harry says. "Thus the shouting."  
  
Louis blinks. Then he grins. "He's in love. He's allowed to be a jerk."  
  
Harry just gives him a strange look. "You're a jerk too," he finally says. "A weird one."  
  
"And anyway. It's not like he can break my heart _again_ ," Louis shrugs. "So it'll be fine. Powder dust."  
  
Harry hugs him harder and presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I'd love you proper, Louis. If you'd just marry me."  
  
Louis laughs. "Sure. But first - do you wanna hear my new song?"  
  
Harry groans. "Not again."  
  
"It's a good song!"  
  
  
Liam leaves Friday. The weekend is quiet. They all work a lot - they go to the gym, Harry has a photoshoot lined up, Louis is doing an interview. Niall and Zayn go to the recording studio to work on some backing tracks, and maybe give some input on musicality. They've been given more creative licence this time around, and they're using it best as they can.   
  
Saturday night, just as Louis is about to turn off the light and go to sleep, his phone rings. It's Liam. Harry is mumbling, already half-asleep, so Louis switches off the light (bumps into the bedframe on his way out, fuck) and takes the call once he's closed the door behind himself.  
  
He wonders what Liam wants. His heart is beating quickly, like he's been running, and he tells himself not to be stupid. Liam's probably checking in if they've all been drinking their protein shakes like good boys.   
  
But that's not what happens. There's a moment of silence on the other end when Louis says, "Hey, Liam," and then Liam rushes out, "I told them." His voice is raw, like he's been crying.  
  
"What?" Louis asks. "Liam, are you all right?"  
  
"No, yes, I mean. I'm fine, I think, I just. I told them. My parents. I thought I was going to be _sick_ , but then I couldn't just - I was going to anyway, but then I was showing them videos of what we've been up to and they said - they asked if you were dating Harry and I said no, I said no, but maybe you're dating _me_." Then Liam falls silent and says, "Fuck. I didn't mean. I'm sorry. I didn't think you might not -"  
  
"Liam." Louis interrupts his babbles because when Liam gets like this, it gets harder and harder to stop him until he runs out of steam and then he goes and buries himself somewhere and doesn't come out for hours. So Louis interrupts him now, and says, "Liam, it's okay."  
  
"Is it?" Liam sounds small and insecure and not at all like he usually sounds, so Louis says, "Yeah. If you still want that." His heart is bouncing in his chest. There's static in his head so he almost doesn't hear Liam's "Yes", except he does, magnified.  
  
  
\- - - - -  
  
  
Liam gets back Sunday afternoon. Louis is waiting for him already. They need to talk, they need to hash out what changed, how to deal with this, how to not fuck this all up again. Liam, though, Liam doesn't talk - he smiles at Louis brightly, sunshine taking over his face, and steps up to kiss him fully on the lips.   
  
There's a loud thump from the living room door and Harry groans, pushing himself up off the floor, batting at Zayn, who's half-lying on top of him, grinning, and Niall, standing over them, hands on his hips. He says, "Took you long enough," while Zayn says, "Fucking finally." Harry's still kicking at him to get off.   
  
Louis gives them all the finger and yells, "We'll be doing it on your bed, Niall," while he pulls Liam after him by is wrist. Liam shakes his head at Niall, mouthing, "No, we won't, I _promise_." Really, this isn't so scary after all.   
  
In the room, Louis takes a look at Liam's face and says, "Relax. This is the easy part."  
  
Liam scrunches up his nose and rubs the back of his neck. "Our whole management is going to drop us. We'll be penniless and without a record deal and no label will ever want us again -"  
  
"Oh for fuck's sake, just fucking fuck him already, Tomlinson," Harry shouts through the door and someone bangs their fist against the thin wooden surface a few times.  
  
Louis laughs. He pulls Liam close, kisses his forehead and says, "How are you even real, I swear."  
  
Liam huffs and kisses him for real, deep and meaningful and like he never wants to stop. "I'm so gay," he then moans, because _duh_. But Louis doesn't say that. He follows Harry's advice instead. He knew there was a reason he kept the rest of the band around.  
  
  
  
\- - - - -  
~ End ~


End file.
